Key facts
- Dua Lipa has publicly supported protests in Albania against a luxury resort development.
- The development is backed by Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners.
- Protests began over plans for developments on Sazan Island and Zvernec peninsula.
- Albanian legislation was amended in 2024 to weaken environmental protections in sensitive areas.
- Lipa criticized the government's removal of environmental protection without public consultation.
British singer-songwriter Dua Lipa has publicly backed the "Flamingo Revolution" in Albania, a protest movement against a large-scale luxury resort development planned for environmentally sensitive land. Lipa, who has Kosovo Albanian heritage, described the movement as "inspiring" during a conversation with author Lea Ypi for her book club podcast. The protests, now in their sixth week, target plans for developments on Sazan Island and the Zvernec peninsula, near the protected Vjosa-Narta landscape, which is a habitat for flamingos, seals, sea turtles, and migratory birds.
Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, is leading the $1.6 billion project, which aims to build approximately 10,000 rooms along the Adriatic coast. The Albanian government, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, facilitated the project by amending protected-areas legislation in 2024, thereby weakening restrictions on construction in environmentally sensitive zones. The government also granted the developer strategic investor status, allowing for accelerated approval procedures. Lipa specifically criticized the principle of the government changing environmental protection laws without public consultation. Rama has defended the investment, calling it a "gift to Europe" and a "blessing," and has stated there is "absolutely no chance" the investment will stop while he is in office.